Method for differentiating between background and foreground of scenery and also method for replacing a background in images of a scenery

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for differentiating between background and foreground in images or films of scenery recorded by an electronic camera. The invention relates in addition to a method for replacing the background in recorded images or films of scenery while maintaining the foreground.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for differentiating between background and foreground of a scenery in images recorded by an electronic camera, the background showing an arbitrary image coded with a coding such that the arbitrary image is visible for a direct observer of the background, and the background being differentiated from the foreground in a signal produced by an image sensor, recording the images, of the electronic camera by means of the coding,
 wherein the coding comprises the background displaying the arbitrary image only with colours selected from one or at least two, ranges of a visible spectrum at a spacing from each other, and a light emanating from the background running through a colour filter before impinging on the image sensor, which the colour filter filters out or tones down these ranges of the visible spectrum, and letting other ranges of the visible spectrum pass through without being toned down, 
 wherein the coding further comprises the arbitrary image being represented in a grid of coloured dots on a backdrop, the coloured dots respectively together with the backdrop surrounding them composing the colours of the arbitrary image, and the colour filter being disposed in front of the image sensor, which the colour filter tones down colours of the coloured dots and lets through colours of the backdrop without being toned down, the background being differentiated from the foreground by means of keying, on the colours of the backdrop, 
 wherein the colours of the coloured dots and the colours of the backdrop form disjoint parts of the visible spectrum, a light of the coloured dots running through at least one spectral filter, which a light emitted from the backdrop does not run through, and in that the colour filter disposed in front of the image sensor being a spectral filter or an interference filter, which is complementary to filters in front of the coloured dots. 
 
     
     
       2. A method for differentiating between background and foreground of a scenery in images recorded by an electronic camera, the background showing an arbitrary image coded with a coding such that the arbitrary image is visible for a direct observer of the background, and the background being differentiated from the foreground in a signal produced by an image sensor, recording the images, of the electronic camera by means of the coding characterised in that the coding comprises the arbitrary image being represented in a grid of coloured dots on a backdrop, the coloured dots respectively together with the backdrop surrounding them composing colours of the arbitrary image, and
 a colour filter being disposed in front of the image sensor, which the colour filter tones down colours of the coloured dots and lets through colours of the backdrop without being toned down, the background being differentiated from the foreground by means of keying, on the colours of the backdrop, 
 wherein the colours of the coloured dots and the colours of the backdrop form disjoint parts of a visible spectrum, a light of the coloured dots running through at least one spectral filter, which a light emitted from the backdrop does not run through, and in that the colour filter disposed in front of the image sensor being a spectral filter or an interference filter, which is complementary to filters in front of the coloured dots. 
 
     
     
       3. A method according to  claim 2 , wherein the coloured dots are self-illuminating or light diodes. 
     
     
       4. A method according to  claim 2 , wherein the coding further comprises the background radiating only colours selected from one or at least two, ranges of the visible spectrum at a spacing from each other, a light emanating from the scenery running through the colour filter before impinging on the image sensor, which the colour filter tones down those ranges of the visible spectrum from which the colours of the arbitrary image are selected, and letting through ranges of the visible spectrum situated between these ranges without being toned down, the background being differentiated from the foreground by keying onto the ranges of the visible spectrum toned down by the colour filter in front of the image sensor. 
     
     
       5. A method for differentiating between background and foreground of a scenery in images recorded by an electronic camera, the background showing an arbitrary image coded with a coding such that the arbitrary image is visible for a direct observer of the background, and the background being differentiated from the foreground in a signal produced by an image sensor, recording the images, of the electronic camera by means of the coding, wherein the coding comprises the background radiating only colours selected from at least one or at least two, ranges of a visible spectrum at a spacing from each other in a spectrum, a light emanating from the scenery running through a colour filter before impinging on the image sensor, which the colour filter tones down those ranges of the visible spectrum from which colours of the arbitrary image are selected, and letting through ranges of the visible spectrum situated between these ranges without being toned down, the background being differentiated from the foreground by keying onto the ranges of the visible spectrum toned down by the colour filter in front of the image sensor,
 wherein the coding further comprises the arbitrary image being represented in a grid of coloured dots on a backdrop, the coloured dots respectively together with the backdrop surrounding them composing the colours of the arbitrary image, and the colour filter being disposed in front of the image sensor, which the colour filter tones down colours of the coloured dots and lets through colours of the backdrop without being toned down, the background being differentiated from the foreground by means of keying, on the colours of the backdrop, 
 wherein the colours of the coloured dots and the colours of the backdrop form disjoint parts of the visible spectrum, a light of the coloured dots running through at least one spectral filter, which a light emitted from the backdrop does not run through, and in that the colour filter disposed in front of the image sensor being a spectral filter or an interference filter, which is complementary to filters in front of the coloured dots.